Hide and Seek
by Trivette Lover Heather
Summary: Individual Series of Tags to the Season Six Episode, Hide and Seek.
1. Very Different Childhoods

_**McGee**__: Im guessing we experienced very different childhoods._

--

"What do you do if you get a flat tire in the middle of the night?"

Little Anthony gave a quick shrug of his shoulders. "The Limo driver would call my Dad and have him send another car…duh!"

* * *

A young Timothy McGee grinned at the simplicity of the question. "If there was no other means of communication I would retrieve the emergency pack from the trunk of the car, making sure to conserve the flashlight use in case I was unable to change the spare. I would under no circumstances flag down another car for help nor allow myself to fall asleep in the car while the doors were unlocked." He took a breath. "In the case that I could not change the spare I would ration the food in the emergency pack until rescue arrived."

The towering Navy man gave his son a high five. "Well done Tim, you make me proud…"

* * *

"And if the Limo driver cant reach your Father?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Then the driver would flag down a car or walk in the dark to get us help. That's what he gets paid for."

"And you would stay in the car alone?"

He cringed. "No way…you're just asking for trouble then…don't you watch scary movies?"

"So you would travel in the dark with the driver?"

He nodded. "Yes…now I can go now? MASH is gonna be on soon…"

* * *

_Present Time_

"What if you get stranded with no cell phone service in the middle of nowhere Tony?"

He scoffed. "Simple…I sleep with one eye open and one hand on my sig."

"And if no one comes for days?"

"Then I die a slow and agonizing death Probie…what's with the twenty questions?"

Tim grinned. "Just trying to make a point. Don't hack on the Scouts…"

"This coming from the Scout who got poison ivy….twice." He held up two fingers to illustrate his point.

McGee turned an interesting shade of red. "Nobody's perfect Tony…"

It was then Gibbs strode in and quieted the both of them. "Speak for yourself McGee."


	2. They Only Listen To Their Master

_**Gibbs**__: You heard the lady, gear up. _

_**Abby**__: They only listen to their master Gibbs, only you can crack the whip, only you can drink the swill…_

_--_

Gibbs was being yanked by the arm towards the elevator and into Abby's lab before he could protest. Not that it would've mattered if he did.

"Okay, okay, what do you think?" She said gleefully before contorting her face intentionally.

Gibbs looked confused. "I miss something?"

She huffed and reset her face a second time. "How about now?"

"Looks good."

"Really? You think so? I've been practicing all afternoon…

Gibbs remained clueless but played along. "Imagine what you could do with a whole day…"

She nodded. "You know you're right…you'd think after looking at your face for all these years, I would be able to pull it off no problem…"

A light bulb went off. "I'm a complicated guy."

"Tell me about it…I stood in front of the mirror for hours, changing my face, squinting my eyes…but now that you approve there's only one thing left to do to make it complete."

He half expected her to head slap him and went into full glare mode. She picked up on it quickly.

"Don't be silly, I would never." She assured him before placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "That's good work."

He smiled at her imitation. "Not bad…just one thing."

"Yeah?"

"Lose the collar."


	3. Scout Boy

_**Gibbs**__: Come on, Scout boy, you're with me…_

--

"Think that's why he brought me on the team?" McGee questioned after taking a bite of his third slice of pizza.

Ziva shrugged. "It is possible. Though I am sure there is more than just one reason."

"I figured it was mainly because of my computer degree…but he had to see something else he liked right? I mean Gibbs just doesn't do things on a whim."

"He does appear to be a very methodical man…despite his gut feelings."

"So are you saying he had a gut feeling about me?"

Ziva took down some of her drink. "I realize that I can be scary McGee…but I am not Gibbs. Why not ask him yourself?"

"If the fact that my Dad was in the Navy influenced his decision? I'd rather walk the plank." He noticed the look on confusion on her face. "I'm not asking him Ziva."

"I am certain Gibbs made a calculated decision based on many things McGee. This is not worth fretting about…eat your pizza."

He swallowed a bite. "You ever wonder why he picked Tony?"

"Every day," she replied with a hint of sarcasm. "We all have our quirks McGee but we have to put confidence in ourselves. Gibbs is not God, he does not dictate how well we do our job…we do."

"You know," Tim pointed at her with his pizza slice. "I've never asked why you requested to stay with us."

"It is not important." She stood up after her response and began to clean up a bit.

Tim realized he'd hit a nerve but continued gently. "Was it because of what Ari did to Kate?"

"It is complicated."

He nodded. "I see…well I've been told I'm a great listener."

She turned away from the sink for a moment. "And I am not a great talker." She continued. "I am not offending you am I?"

"No," he quickly assured her. "I was just curious that's all. No big deal. Really."

She smiled in relief. "Then we shall start the movie yes?"

He nodded before picking up his plate and carrying it over to the couch. "Should you ever want to…talk…"

She took a seat before assuring him. "I know Tim…thank you."

He smiled slowly. "Good…now what are we watching?"

She shrugged. "Abby gave it to me…I believe it is called, The God Mother…"


	4. Same Clubs Ducky Has

_**Tony**__: Aren't those the same clubs Ducky has?_

--

"So how much of a hit did you take?" Abby strolled up to Tony's desk later that evening and expected to find him sulking beyond repair.

Tony barely turned to acknowledge her, his eyes glued to the computer screen. "So far, there's been a few bids…at this very moment I could lose about 400."

She sighed on his behalf. "Well that's better than losing all of it. Look on the brightside."

He almost smiled. "Yeah, that I got burned by my own scheme."

"Was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Not to scheme master…the master of schemes…the master schemer."

She stifled a laugh. "What goes around comes around Tony…"

"Karma." He cringed. "Ha! Kate tried to convince me of that once…worst…day…ever."

Abby smiled and glanced at the empty desk across from them. "You ever think about her?"

Tony pulled his eyes from the screen. "Yeah…especially in times like this. She'd be hovering over me like you are now…poking fun at me knowing right from left."

"True…but only because she loves you…"

He smiled and felt his heart ache slightly. "Loved."

"Yeah," Abby replied flatly. "Loved."

It went silent for a few moments before Tony brought them both back into the present. "Looks like I'm not gonna take that big of a hit…someone just put a final bid at what I paid for them…will you look at that?"

Abby leaned over his shoulder. "No way…"

"Way." He confirmed. "In fact, I'm so happy; I'm liable to buy a pretty lady a drink?"

"I'll go grab my stuff." She started out of the bull pen before turning back. "Love never ends Tony…"

He glanced at the empty desk briefly. "No…" He thought for a moment. "I guess it doesn't…"


	5. Dont Know What Its Like

_**Mike**__: You don't know what it's like…going off to the other side of the world, to protect your country…but then you cant be there to protect your own family…_

--

"Plan on going home tonight DiNozzo?" Gibbs strode in with his seventh cup of coffee that day and sat at his desk.

Tony looked up. "Just finishing up some paperwork boss…"

Gibbs looked around at the empty bull pen. "Go home."

"I'd really rather stay…just had these noisy neighbors move in above me. They should be going to sleep soon."

"That the best you got?"

Tony shrugged innocently. "Would I lie to you boss?"

Gibbs eyed him. "Not without a good reason. Now what is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about boss. Honest."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs stated plainly and simply awaited his response. Only he didn't expect his Agent to make his way over to his desk.

"I thought maybe I'd…well…" He stopped for a second. "Is there any chance I can just sit quietly at my desk with no explanation?" He met Gibbs stare. "Didn't think so…well to be completely honest I was…worried about you." He closed his eyes as if preparing for a well deserved head slap. But after a few seconds he began to open one eye at a time.

"What?"

Tony took a step back. "Worried…you know. Concerned."

"I know what it means DiNozzo. Why?"

He pointed up the stairs. "In MTAC earlier…that Commander. What he said to you. Thought it might've pissed you off a little."

"So you spending the night here is supposed to make me feel better?

Tony shrugged. "So it did bother you?" He cringed. "Of course it did. And I know you're tough enough that you don't need me to stay, I just thought it'd be nice if…"

Gibbs noticed his hesitation. "If what?"

"If you knew someone cared." He gave another shrug of his shoulders. "Not that I think that you think I don't care…I just thought…you know it doesn't matter what I thought. Cuz now you know right? So I can go now…." He started towards his desk and intentionally took longer than usual to gather his things. He turned to leave when Gibbs stood in his path.

"Where you going?"

"Um…" He started but was cut short.

"That paper work aint gonna finish itself." Gibbs stated plainly before moving back behind his desk.

Tony smiled slowly. "Of course it isn't." He set his things down and settled in, darting an occasional eye towards his boss as the night went on. Maybe he wasn't the only who cared after all.


End file.
